Charles goodyear



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. GOODYEAR, Jr.

ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

No. 572,539. Patented Dec. 8, 1896.

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0. GOODYEAR, Jr. ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

No. 572,539. Patented Dec. 8, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES GOODYEAR, JR., OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC-ARC LA M P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 57 2,539, dated December 8, 1896.

Application filed October 16, 1895. Serial No. 565,871. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES GOODYEAR, Jr., of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Convertible Alternate and Constant Ourrent Feed Mechanism for Arc-Lamps, of which the following is a description, referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Vhen an arc-lamp is supplied with direct or constant current, the positive carbon is consumed approximately twice as fast as the negative carbon. Vhen an alternating current is used, however, the two carbons burn away at very nearly the same rate. In handfed lamps, where it is desirable to keep the light at a fixed point, it is clear that the feed mechanism which would feed the carbons properly for an alternating current would not feed them properly adjusted in the same manner if the carbons were supplied with a direct or constant current.

It is the object of the present invention to produce a mechanism which, when operated by hand, will preserve the arc in approximately the same position as the carbons are consumed, whether a constant or alternating current is employed. The mechanism is readily convertible, so that it may be instantly adapted to one or the other current at will.

The accompanying drawings show several forms of device embodying my invention in its broadest aspect, though certain of these forms are more perfect and preferable.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing crudely a simple form of my 0011- vertible lamp as adjusted for alternating current. Fig. 2 shows the same lamp as adjusted for constant current. Fig. 3 shows a modification which is more perfect mechanically and which serves the same purpose. Fig. 4: shows my preferred construction; and Fig. 5 is a detail view, partly in section, showing the mechanism by which the feed is changed from an alternating current to a constant current, or vice versa.

Throughout the drawings like figures of reference indicate like parts.

111 Figs. 1 and 2, 10 is a stationary support carrying the adjustable frame 11, which carries the feed mechanism of the lamp. The carbons are mounted in the bell-crank levers 12 and 13, which have the crossed or overlapping arms 14- and 15. These arms 1i and 15 bear against the rounded head 16 of a handscrew 17, which is carried and threaded through the pivotal mounting 18. \Vhen the screw 17 is in the central position shown in Fig. 1, the advancing or withdrawing of the screw will cause the carbons to move toward or from each other at the same rate, because the arms 14 and 15, as measured from the f ulcrums 19 to the point of contact with the head 16, are always of equal length. Vhen, however, the screw 17 is turned to the position shown in Fig. 2, the head 16 bears upon the arms 11 and 15 at such a point that the length of the arm 14: bears a ratio to the length of the arm 15 of one to two, and consequently the upper carbon carried by the arm 12 will be moved by the screw 17 at a rate of approximately double that of the lower carbon, which is carried by the arm 13.

At 20 is shown a stop against which the pivotal bearing 18 strikes when the screw 17 is turned to the position shown in Fig. 2 and the lamp adapted to constant-current work. The weight of the upper carbon and the arm 12 are sufficient to cause the arm 11 to press against the head 10, but in the case of the lower arm 13 a spring 21 is needed to raise the arm 13 as the screw 17 is withdrawn.

It will be understood that the arms 12 and 13 are of course insulated from each other, or that the carbons are insulated from these arms and the current supplied directly to these carbons. These are matters of detail which will be clear to those skilled in the art.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the support 10, which is adjustable vertically upon a rod 30, carries a slide or guide 31, upon which slide the carbon-holding arms 32 and 33, to the outer ends of which the carbons 3a are secured. I make no mention and I do not show, either in this figure or the other figures of the drawings, the electrical apparatus for drawing or striking the are, as that does not strictly concern the present invention, and to set forth such details at length would obscure rather than. make clear the more essential features.

The feedingmechauism of the lamp is constructed and operated as follows:

The arm 32 is provided with a rack 35,which runs through guides 36 in the support 10 and which meshes with the pinion 37, which is turned by hand. The arm 33 of the lower carbon is provided with the double rack 38 39. The rack 38 meshes with the small pinion 4-0, mounted upon the same axis and turning with the pinion 37 and of approximatelyone-half the size and number of teeth. The rack 58 maybe kept in engagement with the pinion by the slight spring action of the metal, which may be cut away to facilitate this yielding or spring effect, as at 4:1. It is clear that when the pinions 37 and a0 are turned the upper carbon 34: will be fed by means of the rack 35 at twice the rate at which the lower carbon 3% is fed by in cans of the rack 38. At a2 is shown a guide for the double rack 38 39 and a thumb-screw for shifting the position of the rack within the guide. That is to say,when the screw l2 is turned the racks I38 and 239 may be displaced laterally against the action of the spring ll until the rack 30 engages the pinion 43, which is set opposite the pinion 4:0 and which engages and turns with the pinion 37. It is apparent that when the rack 39 engages with the pinion 43 the movement of the rack 39 is precisely the same as if it engaged with the pinion 37, so that the two racks and 39 and the corresponding arms 32 and 3-3, with the two carbons, are fed at exactly the same rate. Therefore by means of the screw-adjustment i2 the lamp may be quickly converted from a hand-feed alternating-current lamp to a hand-feed constant-current lamp, or the reverse.

In Fig. l my most preferred form of invention is shown. The feed in this instance is accomplished, when the lamp is used as a constant or direct current lamp, by means of a single screw extending through the carboncarrying arms 52 and 53. This screw has two dilferentlythreaded portions 51L and 55, one being of double the pitch of the other and reversed in direction. The lower -carbo11- holding arm 53 is permanently threaded to the screw 55, and therefore travels when the screw is turned. The upper arm 52 is provided with a clutch 56, which may be made to engage the screw-threads 51-. \Vhcn so engaged, the upper carbon may be fed at twice the rate of the lower carbon and the lamp be employed with constant current by turning the screw-threaded rod 5i by means of the hand wheel or knob 57. Parallel with the screw-threaded rod 5i and 55 and extending through the arm 52 is the screw 58. Gears 59 transmit the rotation of the handle 57 and the screws 5-]: and 55 to the screw 58. The clutch 00, mounted in the arm 52, may be made to engage with the screw-threads 58, so that when the clutch is so engaged the arm 52 will be moved by means of the screw 58. The gears 59 and the screw-threads 58 are so proportioned that the rate of travel of the arm 52 will be equal to that of the arm 53 when so adjusted and the lamp be therefore adapted to alternating current.

The details of the clutches 52 and are clearly shown in Fig. 5, wherein it is seen that these two clutches are formed of a sin gle piece pivoted at 61 and controlled by means of the thumb-screw 62. These clutches are so arranged that one will be disengaged before the other is engaged with its rack, and therefore the danger of stripping the teeth. from the racks or from the clutches is obviated, and in addition there is one position at which neither clutch is engaged, and therefore the arm 52, carrying the upper or positive carbon, maybe slid at will up and down the screws 5-l and 5S and the proper clutch then engaged at any position.

It will be seen that many modifications may be made without in any way altering the action and principles of my invention. For instance, the threading on the screws 58 and maybe of the same pitch and the gears 50 be both of the same size, or the gears 59 may be of different sizes and the pitch of the screw-threads and 5S proportioned accordingly. So also in connection with Fig. 3 the precise form of the adjustment by which the lamp is converted from an alternating to a constant current lamp may be modified without changing the character of the construction.

What I claim, and desire to secure by these Letters Patent of the United States, together with such modifications as may be made by mere skill in the art and with only the limitation and restrictions as expressed or by law implied in view of the related art, as follows:

1. An are lamp comprising two carbonholders, feeding mechanism having two adjustments, the one feeding the carbons substantially uniformly and the other feeding them differentially or at different rates, and means for changing from one adjustment to the other at will, whereby the said lamp may be converted at will to alternating-current or constant-current operation, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination in ahand-feed for arelamps, mechanical connections for feeding one of the carbons, two cooperating connections for feeding the other carbon at two different rates of feed, and means for connecting either of the said cooperating connections at will, whereby the lamp may be converted into an alternating or a direct current lamp, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination in feed mechanism .for arc-lamps, and with the carbon carriers or holders, a feed-screw giving travel to one of the said holders, two cooperating screw connections of different pitch for the other of the said holders and means for connecting one or the other of the said screw connections to give travel to the second of said holders, sub stantially as set forth.

at. In combination in feed mechanism for arc-lamps and with the carbon carriers or holders therefor, two parallel. screw-threaded lIO rods geared together, a pair of clutches for one of the said carbon-holders, means for causing the said clutches to en gage with either of the said screw-threaded rods, and a screwthreaded continuation of one of the said rods threaded into and giving travel to the other of said carbon-carriers, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at the city of New York, this 14th 10 day of October, A. D. 1895.

CHARLES GOODYEAR, JR.

In presence of IsAAc P. HUBBARD, HAROLD BINNEY. 

